208 SWIFTS. 



themselves in flight, they raise their wings, and 

 make them meet over their backs. 



At some certain times in the summer I had 

 remarked that swifts were hawking very low for 

 hours together over pools and streams ; and could 

 not help inquiring into the object of their pursuit 

 that induced them to descend so much below their 

 usual range. After some trouble, I found that they 

 were taking phryganea, ephemerce, libellulce, (ca- 

 dew-flies, may-flies, and dragon-flies,) that were 

 just emerged out of their aurelia state. I then no 

 longer wondered that they should be so willing to 

 stoop for a prey that afforded them such plentiful 

 and succulent nourishment. 



They bring out their young about the middle 

 or latter end of July ; but as these never become 

 perchers, nor, that ever I could discern, are fed 

 on the wing by their dams, the coming forth of 

 the young is not so notorious as in the other 

 species. 



On the thirtieth of last June I untiled the eaves 

 of a house where many pairs build, and found in 

 each nest only two squab, naked pulli ; on the 

 eighth of July I repeated the same inquiry, and 

 found they had made very little progress towards 

 a fledged state, but were still naked and helpless. 

 From whence we may conclude, that birds whose 

 way of life keeps them perpetually on the wing, 

 would not be able to quit their nest till the end 

 of the month. Swallows and martins, that have 

 numerous families, are continually feeding them 

 every two or three minutes ; while swifts, that 

 have but two young to maintain, are much at 

 their leisure, and do not attend on their nests for 

 hours together. 



Sometimes they pursue and strike at hawks that 

 come in their way, but not with that vehemence 



